Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Last month I lamented the utter lack of chocolate zeppole in NYC. Though most Italian bakeries in the city roll out the traditional St. Joseph's Day pastries with either vanilla pastry cream cannoli cream filling, you just can't find chocolate filled zeppole, a staple in the New Haven area for Southern Italian St. Joseph's Day and Easter celebrations. This year I discovered that Milani's Italian Bakery & Cafe in Northford, Connecticut, not only makes chocolate zeppole, but they make quite possibly the very best chocolate zeppole I've ever had...

Let's start with the zeppole shell. These airy donut shaped treats are light, lightly sweet and fried to perfection. They fill them to order so there's no chance of the zeppole getting soggy while they wait to be purchased. Always a plus.

Milani's fillings are what take them over the top. Not only can you get vanilla and cannoli cream and chocolate, but they also have Nutella and panna filled zeppole. Yes, that's zeppole filled with Nutella and whipped cream. Genius. Still, even with the delicious, yet unorthodox Nutella and panna zeppole in the mix, it's the chocolate zeppole that reigns supreme. Milani's chocolate filling is darker and richer than most other bakeries in the New Haven area and for that they take top marks.

Alas, now that Easter has come and gone so to has zeppole season. Next year you can be sure that I'll be hitting up Milani's.